This is a delightful CD for children (and eavesdropping adults), gathering together three "musical fables" that John Rutter wrote for Christmas concerts given by the King's Singers and the COL Sinfonia; "The Reluctant Dragon" and "The Wind in the Willows" based on Kenneth Grahame stories, adapted by David Grant. "Brother Heinrich's Christmas" was written for a Christmas TV special from Salisbury Cathedral, with Rutter writing the story as well as the music. This is like the sound track to a musical, with Richard Baker narrating "Dragon" and "Willows," and Brian Kay narrating "Brother," and Anthony Holt, for instance, playing St. George in "Dragon" and Toad in "Willows." The King'Singers and the Cambridge Singers give sweet and entertaining performances, and we can only say that we would have loved to have seen the concerts and the TV special! |